James Waugh, the executive producer of Star Wars: Visions, recently revealed how the animation style of Season 2 of the popular series will shift to accommodate the many studios invited to take part in the anthology project. Waugh, speaking to Deadline about Star Wars: Visions, emphasised how visually distinct Season 2 episodes will be from one another as companies from across the world join the Star Wars family. The 1st season of Star Wars: Visions gave Japanese animation studios the opportunity to create original, stand-alone stories rooted in the Star Wars universe.
The Star Wars world was taken in exciting new ways with each episode’s exploration of themes like the Jedi, the Force, and the Empire. Even while each episode had its own distinct tone and animation technique, they were all influenced by traditional Japanese anime and used aspects of Japanese culture to produce stunning Star Wars tales. Since the public demanded a continuation, Lucasfilm revealed plans for a second season to be produced by studios located on nearly every continent. Waugh plans to improve upon the first season of Star Wars: Visions by having a variety of talented people contribute to the show.
That’s because each episode of Season 2 will take inspiration from the local culture of each studio, rather than following the tried-and-true anime-Star Wars formula. Waugh elaborates as follows: “The first anthology is anime because we all enjoyed the aesthetic, but my goal for “Visions” has always been to allow it to be a more diverse collection of works, as there is so much excellent animation being created throughout the world. There are a lot of great writers and artists working in different genres that have recently shifted their attention to the animation industry.
And we aimed for it to function as a “sub-brand,” welcoming artists from all walks of life to share their own interpretations of the “Star Wars” canon. That’s why you can think of Visions volume 2 as a kind of around-the-world tour of some of the most intriguing animation companies in the world. Studios in South Africa, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India,… The idea was to have their stories represent not just what “Star Wars” meant to them, but also the myths and legends that could have arisen only in their own culture. Season 2 episodes will come from the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Chile, Spain, France, and India, however, the names of the animation companies participating have not yet been verified by Lucasfilm.
Since the first season was so impressive, we are also looking forward to at least a number of episodes produced in Japan. Season 1 of Star Wars: Visions consists of nine episodes, however, whether or not that number will be maintained in Season 2 is currently uncertain.
Star Wars: Visions, Season 1, is currently streaming on Disney+. There is no official premiere date for Season 2, however, Waugh has stated that they are shooting for the spring of 2023.